A burgeoning Latino population is proving to be a challenge for doctors, nurses and other medical professionals who find themselves increasingly struggling to communicate effectively with an evolving patient demographic.

In health care, ineffective communication can lead to medical errors, create barriers to medical care access, and reduce a patient’s likelihood of adhering to treatment plans.

The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) School of Medicine is staging a lecture at noon Oct. 11 about ways to improve patient dialogue. It will take place in Theater A on the first floor of the UMKC School of Medicine, 2411 Holmes St.

Open to area medical professionals, as well as UMKC health sciences students, the audience will learn about the different kinds of language interpretation: professional translators, telephone communication, use of a bilingual colleague. They will also learn about the limitations of using a patient’s family members for translating.

Guest speaker is Capt. Edwin Galan of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. Galan speaks fluent Spanish and some French which he uses in federal assignments and for public speaking or translations for various health-related and population specific needs. He enjoys active clinical practice, keeping current with ambulatory health care services through work at local clinics that predominantly care for underserved populations in the Kansas City metro area.

The lecture is part of the medical school’s activities for Hispanic Heritage Month. People interested in attending may contact Marlene B. Smith, (816) 235-1832, smithmb@umkc.edu. RSVP is not required.

The UMKC School of Medicine offers a combined baccalaureate/doctor of medicine degree program that admits students out of high school. The program provides students with early and ongoing clinical experience through teams of students, physicians and other health-care providers. The school partners with Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City, Truman Medical Centers, Western Missouri Mental Health Center and the Kansas City VA Hospital.

UMKC is one of fewer than 30 research universities in the United States that has medicine, dentistry, nursing and pharmacy education programs all located on one campus. UMKC engages with the community and economy based on a three-part mission: visual and performing arts, health and life sciences, and urban affairs.